The game now known as "horseshoes" originated in Roman army camps about A.D. 100. Horseshoe pitching has long been popular in the United States and Canada. A national association has established regulations for the game. Regulation horseshoes are approximately seven inches wide and long and weigh about two pounds, 10 ounces. The pitching court has two iron stakes embedded into the ground. Generally a box like area of softened earth or sand surrounds each stake. The pitching court typically has a width of about 10 feet and a distance between stakes of about 30 feet. Scoring is based on "ringers" that surround the stake. "leaders" that lean against a stake and horseshoes that lie within about six inches of the stake.
Horseshoe pitching is widely enjoyed, especially in rural areas. In urban areas, parks, etc. it is difficult to set up a temporary court, since it is necessary to pound the stakes very firmly into the ground and the damage the thrown horseshoes do to the area around each stake. Also, children, women and older people have difficulty in pitching the quite heavy horseshoes.
Games having some of the attributes of horseshoes have been developed for use in parks and yards where installing horseshoe stakes is difficult and damage to the surface is unacceptable. Generally these are some type of "ring toss" game, in which a wooden stake on a base, a box with openings or a similar target is used and lightweight rings of wood, plastic, rope and the like are tossed at the target. These games are suitable for children or persons without the strength for horseshoe pitching and can be set up anywhere without damage to the environment.
Ring toss games, however, are generally considered children's games and are not often played by adults. The lightweight rings do not give the "feel" of horseshoes. The "clang" of horseshoes against a stake, indicating a good pitch, which adds an audible factor to horseshoes is missing from ring toss games. Further, where the target stake is not secured in place, such as being mounted on a light base board rather than being pounded into the ground, the stake and board will tend to move or tip over when struck by a vigorously thrown ring.
Thus, there is a continuing need for games having the feel of horseshoes without the need for a complex court and that can easily set up and played in yards, parks, while camping, etc. without significantly damaging the area around the targets.